Sinuous pleasure-railway



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. BORMANN.

SINUOUS PLEASURE RAILWAY. v No. 429,601. Patented June 10, 1890.

Lmm, WASHINGTON n c (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. BORMANN. I SINUOUS PLEASURE RAILWAY. NO. 429,601. Patented June 10, 1890.

mi uoams rzrzns m, monrurm, WASHINGTCINJ n. c

(Nd Modl.) V 5 Shets-Shee't 3. H. BORMANN.

V SINUOUS PLEASURE RAILWAY. .601. PatentedJune 10, 1890.

llllllllv v I I Illlll lHII v mw 714. M

ms "cums Persia 20., wcfo-umm, wAsumm'ou, u, c.

( No Model.)

H. BORMANN. SINUOUS PLEASURE RAILWAY.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.) 5 sheetssheet 5.

H. BORMANN. sinuous PLEASURE RAILWAY. N0. 429,601. Patented June 10, 1890,

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

HERMANN BORMANN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SINUOUS PLEASURE-RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,601, dated June 10, 1890.

Application filed March 10, 1890. $erial No. 343,270. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN BORMANN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, but now residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sinuous Pleasure-Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved pleasurerailways, and more especially to the construction and arrangement of the courses over which cars and coaches travel with an easy gliding movement.

The principal objects of my invention are, first, to afford the patrons of such a pleasurerailway the excitement incident to ascending a spiral course and the exhilaration and gaiety incident to coasting precipitously down a course comprising a spiral alternated with undulating longitudinal courses; second, to afford a longer and more diversified ride from the starting-point over the course to the starting-point again than has heretofore been obtained in pleasure-railways occupying an equal amount of space; third, to provide simple and efficient traction mechanism for propelling the cars and coaches from the starting-point to the summit of the course with a gliding motion and without shock or jar; fourth, to provide cars or coaches with gripping devices for automatically engaging with and becoming disengaged from a positively-driven cable, and with automatic brakes and mechanism for stopping the cars upon their arrival at the starting-point after having traversed the course, and, fifth, to prevent the wheelsof the cars and coaches from leaving the tracks and the cars or coaches from descending backward in the event of the traction mechanism breaking down.

My invention consists of two intertwined spiral courses connecting at their respective summits and bases with end spiral courses connected together by tangential courses and arranged to permit of cars or coaches being propelled upward over the intertwined spirals and then allowed to descend by gravity over the spiral and tangential courses to the starting-point for another trip, as is hereinafter more fully described.

My invention further consists of the construction and arrangement of mechanism for automatically controlling the ascending and descending movement of the cars or coaches. The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which Figure l is an elevation of a continuous course formed with two intertwined spirals connecting at the respective summits and bases thereof by straight or longitudinal undulating courses with end spirals, and having the end spirals joined together by undulating tangential straight courses. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view .of the same, showing the tracks or rails of the course, and in dotted lines the cable for elevating the cars and coaches, and also the frame-work and flooring for supporting the courses. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line :1: m of Fig. 2, showin gthe frame-Work and braces for supporting the intertwined spirals. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic viewin elevation, illustrating the arrangement of the cable for elevating the cars and coaches over the intertwined spiral courses. Fig.5 is a diagrammatic view in plan of the cable, guide-rolls, motive power, and mechanism for propelling the cable. Fig. 6 is an elevation of a car or coach adapted to traverse the courses and having the central portion thereof removed to expose to view the automatic gripping device applied thereto. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of a car or coach, showing the cam-rod for automaticallydisenengaging the cable. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the car, showing the mechanism. for automatically actuating the grip. Fig. 9 is an elevation of a platform of a car or coach having a modified form of automatic grip applied thereto, and showing means for preventing the cars from descending the course backward. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the same, showing the detail arrangement of the gripping device and the friction-rolls secured to the sides of the car. Fig. 11 is an end elevation of the platform of a car or coach, show ing the braking devices for stopping the car. Fig. 12 is a side elevation thereof, and Fig. 13 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a portion of the superstructure and of a car or coach, showing the gripping mechanism and the meansconnected with the car or coach for preventing the tractionwheels thereof binding against and jumping.

- the number of cycles, as well as the dia1neters of the spirals will depend upon the amount of space available for such railway structure.

a and a are spiral courses located on opposite sides of the intertwined spirals a" and a a and a are undulating straight courses connecting the respective bases and summits of the spirals a and a. and a and a.

a are undulating straight courses connecting the end spirals a and a and arranged, preferably, tangential therewith, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

b are L-shaped rails or angle-irons laid upon the course in any preferred manner and in two parallel rows, which extend entirely over the course or courses, and also forming side tracks b and switch-tracks If, Fig. 2.

c, Fig. 3, is a frame or trestle-work, consisting of columns, beams, and joists for supporting the structure or railway-course.

c are railings arranged around the edges of the course for preventing the proinenaders from falling off the structure.

0 is a footway for the accommodation of persons watching the participants in the sport as they pass around the course or courses.

a, Fig. 3, is a vertical bearing-rail secured to the course and located adjacentto the tracks upon the outside of the curves for preventing the cars from leaving the rails.

(Z, Figs. 2, 4, and 5, are sheaves mounted upon vertical axes and located between the rails of the intertwined spiral courses a and a.

e is an endless cable supported by the sheaves (Z.

c is an engine or other prime mover, adapted to drive the drums e and e by means of the train of gears connected therewith. The cable 6, after passing over the sheaves cl, passes over the pulleys (Z and around the drums e and e", so that when the engine is in operation the cable e is driven in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 4 and 5, and may be employed for elevating the cars and coaches from the base to the summit of one of the courses.

The cars or coaches f travel over the rails b of the entire course A in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. However, it is obvious that instead of permitting the cars to traverse the entire course they may be propelled up one of the intertwined spirals and permitted to descend partially over one of the end spirals, and then along one of the straight courses, and finally over a portion of the other end spiral to a point diametrieall y opposite to the starting-point, while at the sam 0 time other cars are propelled up the other of the intertwined spirals and permitted to descend in a similar manner over the other end spiral. In either case the sensation of ascending one of the intertwined spirals and descending preci pitously by gravity around one or more turns of the end spiral and then traversing the tangential undulating longitudinal portion of the course, and finally cycling one or more times around the other end spiral and back again to the starting-point,is not only novel, but very popular. Moreover, the cars winding up and down the spirals and coasting rapidly along the straight or longitudinal portions of the respective courses present a pleasant and amusing spectacle to those watching the sport.

Each car f is provided with a main platform f, having bearing-rolls f secured to the sides thereof, for engaging with the rail 0", in order to prevent the cars from leaving the tracks while traversing the curved portions of the courses, The seats f, for the accommodation of the passengers, aresecured to the plat forms f in any preferred manner, and these platforms are mounted on wheels adapted to run on the L-shaped rails b. One of these wheels is preferably arranged so as to run loosely upon the axle, in order to avoid the binding and slipping of the wheels upon the track when the car or coach is traversing the curved portions of the course.

Referring now to Figs. (3, '7, and S for a description of the gripping device, g is a plate provided with a jaw g'and with a lug g pivotally attached to the under side of the platfornrf of the ears. h is a bar pivotally secured to the lug at one extremity and provided at the other extremity with a roller 71/, for a purpose to be presently described. 71.

is a jaw pivotally connected with the bar h V at or near the center and having lugs h, ongaging with slots in the bar h, for preventing the jaw 7L2 from being turned out of position. sis a spiral spring interposed between the plate 1 and bar It for preventing the latter from contacting with the course A. t are bearings secured to the upper side of the platform f and adapted for the reception of the shafts t" and 11 The shaft 'L" is provided with a hand-wheel i located at the side of the car, for rotating it, and with a drum 71 and ratchetwheel The pawl 2', having a depending finger i normally engages with the ratchet-wheel and is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 11 is a pulley pivotally attached to the plate g. i is a cord or chain passing over the pulley i and securedat one end to the bar 7! and at the other end to the drum i i is a cam-rod secured to the course between the rails Z1 and adapted to engage with the roller h. 2' is a vertically-projecting lug secured to the course A and adapted to raise the pawl 1' out of Ol'lgftfjOlllOlllJ with the ratchet-wheel 17" by engaging the depend ing finger i IIO The mode of operation of the above-described gripping device is as follows: The cable 6 is inserted between the jaws g and 71/ and said jaws drawn tightly together, so as to firmly grip the cable by the rotation of the shaft 1" by means of the hand-wheel i This rotation of the shaft 1; winds the cord 1" upon the drum '6, and thus draws the bar it upward, thereby causing the jaws g and h to grip the cable. The drum t is prevented from accident-ally unwinding and releasing the grip by the pawl t,-which engages normally with the ratchet-wheel The grip may be released by raising the pawl i; but in practice it is more convenient to automatically release it, and this result is accomplished by means of the vertical lug i and cam-rod t in the following manner: The depending finger i contacting with the lug 2' raises the pawl t' and permits the drum 1' to revolve freely, whereupon the cam-rod t engaging the roller h, Fig. 7, depresses the bar it and releases the cable. It will be readily understood that the releasing devices i and 11 may be located at any point of the course; but they are usually located at the summits of the intertwined spiral courses, so that after the cars or coaches have been propelled from the base of the courses to the summits thereof they are anto matically released and permitted to descend by gravity to the starting-points.

In Figs. 9, 10, and 13 are illustrated a modified form of grip which is adapted to be automatically engaged with and to become disengaged from the cable. The construction and operation of such a grip is the same as above described, with the following exceptions: that the shaft 2" is provided with a spurwheel is, meshing with another spur-wheel It, mounted on the shaft 76, and said spur-wheels adapted to revolve in the direction indicated by the arrows. The handwheel 11 is dispensed with, and a depending-arm k is keyed to the shaft Use is made of an eye It, surrounding the bar h, instead of a spring 5, for preventing the bar it from contacting with the ground. The roller 71 and cam-rod 2' are dispensed with, and the grip is released by causing the depending finger 2' to contact with and travel along a cam-rod instead of simply contacting with a vertical lug i 7a are vertical lugs secured to the course A and adapted to contact with the depending arm 73. In starting, the car is pushed along the track for a short distance by the attendant in charge, or in any preferred manner, with the arm 7.-; contacting with the lug 70 which rotates the spur-wheels 7c and It and the drum 2", thus causing the jaws 77, and g to grip the cable. Z are levers provided with weights Z and supported at or near the center thereof in bearings Z located between the tracks. Z are depending straps or yokes secured to the under side of the courses and passing around the lever Z, in order to prevent the latter from assuming a vertical position. In use these levers l are preferably located upon the intertwined spiral courses, and while serving to permit the cars or coaches to pass freely by them in one direction prevent the cars or coaches from passing by them in the opposite direction, as will be readily understood by reference to the drawings. on, Figs. 11 and 12, are bearings located, preferably, at or near the terminal points of the courses. m are levers pivotally attached to said bearings. s are spiral springs secured to the levers m. m are stops for maintaining the levers m normally in a horizontal position. m are shoes attached to the levers m for engaging the wheels of the cars. The shoes are bent or curved upward at one extremity, and downward at the opposite extremity, in order that the Wheels of the cars or coaches may readily pass under and be retained beneath them.

In operation the wheels of a car or coach advancing in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 12, passing under the shoes m and overcoming the resistance of the springs s, are gradually brought to rest.

The mode of operation of they pleasure-railway hereinbefore described is as follows: The engine or prime mover e is started by the attendant in charge, whereupon the cable 6 is positively driven in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 4 and 5. One of the cars f, after being loaded with passengers, is attached to the cable 6, either by rotating the hand-wheel f or automatically, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. The car or coach is then propelled by the cable around the spiral course a from the base to the summit thereof. Upon arriving at the summitof the spiral a the car is automatically disengaged from the cable and permit-ted to descend by gravity over one of the courses 01.",al1alf-tnrn of the spiral a one of the straight or longitudinal undulating courses a and one or more cycles of the spiral M, to a point diametrically opposite the starting-point, where the car or coach may be stopped, either by the braking devices illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 or in any other preferred manner, and the passengers allowed to alight and others permitted to take their places. In both cases the car is again attached to the cable and drawn up to the summit of the spiral course a, whereupon it is detached from the cable and permitted to descend by gravity over the other of the courses a, one half-turn of the spiral ta the other of the straight or longitudinal undulating courses a and one or more cycles of the spiral a to side track 12 It will be understood that the cars run upon the side tracks 19 with considerable Velocity, and in order to stop them gradually and without shock or jar one or more of the braking devices illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 are located at convenient points adjacent to the side track. After the cars have been brought to rest and after the passengers have alighted the former are returned to the main track b by means of the switch If for another trip.

ICO

It is obvious that as to minor details modiout departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described the nature and ob" jects of my invention, what I claim as new,

and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is

1. A pleasure-railway consisting of two intertwined spiral courses connecting at their summits and bases with end spirals by tangential courses, and said end spirals connected with one another by straight or longitudinal undulating courses, substantially as shown and described.

2. A pleasure-railway consisting of two intertwined spiral courses connecting at their summits and bases with end spirals by tangential courses, and longitudinal undulating courses connected with said end spirals and adapted to permit of cars or coaches being propelled over the intertwined spiral courses and of descending by gravity over the end spiral, tangential, and longitudinal undulating courses to the starting-points, substan-i tially as shown and described.

The combination, with a pleasure-railway consisting of two intertwined spiral courses winding in the same direction around a common vertical axis and connecting at the summits and bases with end spiral courses by tangential undulating courses, and said end spirals connected with one another by longitudinal undulating courses, of a car or coach, a cable and prime mover therefor, and means connected with said car or coach for gripping the cable, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with a pleasure-railway consisting of two intertwined spiral courses winding in the same direction and connecting at theirsmnmits and bases by longitudinal undulating courses with end spiral ones, of a car or coach provided with a gripping device, a cable and prime mover, and

means for preventing the cars jumping the tracks, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with a pleasure-railway consisting of two intertwined spiral courses windingin the same direction around a common vertical axis and connecting at their summitsand bases with end spirals by tangential undulating courses, and the said end spirals connected with one another by straight courses, of a car or coach provided with a gripping device, a cable, prime mover, and means for preventing the retrograde movement of the car or coach, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of a pleasure-railway consisting of two intertwined spiral courses connecting at their summits and bases with end spirals by tangential longitudinal courses,

and the said end spirals connected with one another by longitudinal undulating courses, a car or coach provided with an automatic gripping device, a cable and prime mover therefor, and automatic devices for preventing the retrograde movement of the car or coach in its passage over the course, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination, with a pleasure-railway consisting of two intertwined spiral courses connecting at their summits and bases with end spirals by tangential longitudinal undulating courses, and the said end spirals connected directly with one another, of a car orcoach provided with gripping mechanism,

a cable, prime mover, and means connected with said car to prevent the wheels thereof binding or contacting with the flanges of the rails of the courses, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination, with a pleasure-railway consisting of two intertwined spiral courses connecting at their summits and bases with end spirals by tangential longitudinal un d ulati n g courses, and said en d spiralcou rses connected with one another, of a car or coach provided with an automatic gripping device, a cable, prime mover, and means for stopping the car at the terminus of the trip, all ar ranged substantiallyas shown and described.

9. The combination, with a pleasure-railway consisting of two intertwined spiral courses connecting at their summits and bases with end spirals by longitudinal undulating courses and end undulating spirals connected with one another by longitudinal undulating courses, of a car or coach provided with a gripping device, a cable and prime mover, means for preventingthe car binding against the rails of the courses, and devices for preventing the retrograde movement of the car or coach, all arranged substantially as shown and described.

10. The combination, with a pleasure-railway consisting of two intertwined spiral courses connecting at then-summits and bases by tangential longitudinal undulating courses with end spirals, and the said end spirals connected with one another by straight courses,

of a car or coach provided with a gripping device, a prime mover, a cable and mechanism for actuating the same, and devices for stopping the carat the terminus of a course, all arranged substantially as shown and described. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMANN BORMANN.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. REED, 'lnonas M. SMITH.

IIO 

